AGARTALA, December 21 (TIWN): Smuggling of Phensedyl a cough syrup, with an exceedingly high dose of codeine and other contraband items are increasing day by day in the state. The police are not anything to stop smuggling of these contraband items. A section of people alleged that due to the under table connection between police and smugglers the police are not doing anything to stop the smuggling of Phensedyl and contraband items.

On the issue of narcotics, no amount of laws seems to be enough to reign in the production and distribution of banned substances. Tripura railways are also becoming a new pathway for the import and export of Phensedyl smuggling, said a highly placed police source.

Police often detain vehicles and seize thousands of bottles of Phensedyl consignments that are not used in Tripura. But, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The network is very deep-rooted and widespread. The Phensedyl smuggling would, in future, become a major deterrent to better Indo-Bangla relations, the police official said.

According to the source, hundreds of smugglers based in Tripura are sending spurious Phensedyl, a cough syrup, with an exceedingly high dose of codeine and other drugs to Bangladesh virtually by the truckload, hundreds of acres of remote land in West Tripura have become sprawling ganja plantations.

Consumption of alcohol is banned in Muslim majority Bangladesh and thus the demand of alternative means like cough syrup is on the rise in the neighbouring country. Numerous smugglers of both sides of border are engaged in illegal trade of Phensedyl as it gives them huge income, the source added.

Large parts of Bangladesh and Myanmar are emerging as drug consuming zones, and bordering areas of Tripura are contributing to the fast-emerging drugs market, the source mentioned. 
We are well aware of the situation and the police often detain vehicles and seize thousands of bottles of Phensedyl consignments that are not used in Tripura. But, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The network is very deep-rooted and widespread. The Phensedyl smuggling would, in future, become a major deterrent to better Indo-Bangla relations, the source further said.

One bottle of Phensedyl costs about Rs 90, but it is sold at Taka 600 or more in Bangladesh. The source added that complete fencing of Tripura’s 856km boundary with Bangladesh would prevent smuggling menace.

It is to mentioned here that many officers of Mohanpur sub-divisional administration including police personnel were wounded by the mob attack and at least four vehicles were ransacked at Sajiabari in Mohanpur sub-division, on December 20 last. Acting on tip-off, a joint team including Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Mohanpur- Dhiraj Debbarma, DCM Sirsendu Debbarma, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Mohanpur- Rupam Chakma and Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sedhai police station- Firoz Miah went to Sajiabari in Mohanpur sub-division to conduct an anti-cannabis operation. In the raid, the team discovered a vibrant cannabis plantation on 1 Kani land started destroying them.

During the operation, the angry residents including women of Sajiabari area suddenly started attacking the officers and police personnel with sharp cutting weapons and sticks and partially ransacked four official vehicles, which were placed at a distance of half kilometer away from the ganja plantation. It is to be mentioned here; ganja cultivation in every corner of Tripura has been growing rapidly.